Cigarette collector



Sept. 21, 1937'. G. w. GWINN 2,093,437

CIGARETTE COLLECTOR Original Filed Nov. 15,1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOTTORNEY Sept. 21, 1937. G. w. GWINN CIGARETTE COLLECTOR Original FiledNov. l5. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIC-3.5

% INVO ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2l, 1937 CIGARETTE COLLECTOR George W.Gwinn, Hewlett, Long Island, N. Y., assignor to American Machine andFoundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 15,1933, Serial No. 698,207 Renewed February 20, 1935 2s claims.

This invention relates to cigarette collectors for continuous rodcigarette machines and is intended to receive the cigarettes as theyissue in a single line from the cutoff and deliver them in side by siderow formation.

There are many devices for this purpose but, when used at high speed,most of them are either too severe in their treatment of the cigarettesand especially the ends of the cigarettes, or they fail to lay thecigarettes down in reasonably exact alignment and parallelism. Theprincipal object of the invention is to provide a collector which willovercome these diiliculties and which will becapable of use at thehighest speeds of which cigarette machines are capable. To this end itis an object of the invention to provide a collector in which theendwise travel of the cigarettes 'is retarded by the gentle action ofsuction, instead of by the mechanical resistance of a stop, withnecessarily harsh action on the ends of cigarettes traveling at highspeed. Y

Still another important object is to provide for accurate placing andaligning of the cigarettes without however the use of pocket walls tosegregate and position cigarettes. In the latter type of machine, Whilealignment is commonly` good, the pocket walls are a source ofconsiderable trouble when the cigarettes for any reason open up or thecutoff is out of time with the collector because at the point where theends of the walls pass the line of cigarettes, under such circum- 4stances, a windmill action takes place which tangles up and scatterscigarettes andV tobacco. 'I'he present device makes it possible toeliminate such pocket walls or partitions and at the'same time holds thecigarettes in exactly separated spaced positions for accurate spacingand alignment on the delivery belt.

Another object of the invention is to insure a clear cut separation ofcigarettes and a firm grip on the cigarettes by the suction meansthrough the shaping of the cigarette engaging portion of the suctionmeans and through the positive engaging of the cigarettes with thesuction means. Another object of the invention is to provide a collectorwhich will deliver cigarettes with the seam side or the printed side ofsuccessive cigarettes facing in the same direction thus eliminatingelaborate devices often hitherto used to obtain this uniformityordinarily lost in the collector. In this connection itis an object tomaintain the uniform rotational arrangement of round as well as ovalcigarettes. With these and other objects not specifically mentioned inview, the

invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which willbe hereinafter fully described'and then particularly pointed out in theclaims hereunto-appended. In the accompanying drawings in whichlikecharacters of reference indicate the same or like parts, Fig. l is aplan view of the improved collector; Fig. 2 is a sectional sideelevation of the cigarette collector, omitting the suction. drum to showthe parts behind;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in sectional elevation of the suction drum onthe line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a section in elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 illustrates a modied form of the invention for delivering alignedcigarettes in two rows. In carrying the invention into eect, there isprovided in a cigarette collector, a combination of devices fordelivering a line of endwise moving cigarettes, with suction means whichare relatively stationary with respect to the endwise movement of thecigarettes and which. act as a brake on said cigarettes to retard orstop their endwise Y movement. In the best constructions said suctionmeans comprises a rotating suction drum and preferably the rotatingsuction Vdrum has suction ports arranged to extend alongside the line ofcigarettes. In the best forms, means are provided for positively pushingthe cigarettes from the endwise moving line into contact with saidsuction ports.` A Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, thecigarettes C as they are delivered in an endwise moving line from thecutoff, (not shown) of a continuous rod cigarette machine, are forwardedbetween upper and lowerv belts II and I2. 'I'hese belts travel at aspeed greater than that of the cigarette rod in order to space the suc.-cessive cigarettes. Cigarettes are forwarded by these belts alongsidethe collector drum I3 which has a series of grooves I3a parallel to itsaxis on its periphery, which grooves .through suction ports I5 with asuction chamber S within the drum which is o f hollow cylindricalconstruction. 'I'he drum while rotatable transversely of the line ofcigarettes, is immovable communicate lengthwise of the line so that thesuction through While the cigarettes may be forwarded in close contactwith the drum for removal by suction alone, in a preferred form a pusheris provided for positively seating the cigarettes in the grooves I3a andagainst the suction ports. The advantage of employing grooves withsuction ports in their bottoms is that the cigarettes'are engaged for aconsiderable portion of their circumference instead of along a singleline of contact.

As the drum i3 rotates, the pusher I4 forces the cigarettes against thesuction ports and the drum carries the cigarettes a quarter turn to aposition where said cigarettes are picked oi by delivery belts I6 andtransported to a stationary table, where the cigarettes are arranged inside by side accurately aligned formation which facilitates inspectionand packaging and enables the operator to handle more cigarettes perminute than otherwise possible. The suction drum I3 is secured to oneend of a shaft I1. On the other end of this shaft is a gear I8adjustably attached to a hub I9 which is secured to the shaft I1. Theshaft I1 is driven through gears I8, 29, and'2I from gear 22 on theshaft 23 which gears establish a ratio of l to 24 between the shafts I1and 2'3 for a drum having 24 cigarette receiving grooves, so that agroove comes opposite the cigarette line for each cigarette forwarded.

The pusher I4 is given an orbital movement toward and acrossthe'cigarette line while moving along said line, then away from the lineand so on, and for this purpose is secured on cranks I4a on the shafts28 and 29 which are driven through spiral gears 24 and 25 on shaft 23engaging with spiral gears 26 and 21 on the shafts 28 and 29, shafts 23and 28 and 29 being driven at a 1 to l ratio such that there is onecigarette pushed for every cycle of operation of the cigarette machine.This shaft 23 through a spiral gear 30 drives the spiral gear 3| onshaft 32 which in turn drives the guide belt II as already described. Agear 33 on the shaft 32 through gear 34 on the shaft 35 and pulley 36drives the lower guide belt I2 at the same speed as the guide belt II. Asuction conduit and chamber S connects with the hollow interior of thecollector drum I3 as shown in Fig. 3, through a manifold sleeve 31 whichis held by the pressure of a spring 38 in substantially air tightrelation to a iiange 39 on the drum I3. A valve 48 on the valve stern 4Iis adjustably secured by arm 42 to a bracket 43 which serves to hold thevalve stationary against movement with the drum. As shown in Fig. 4, thesuction chambar S formed by the valve and conduit is so ar-V ranged thatthe limits of the suction chamber act to turn on suction to the ports Iat a point just preceding the receiving of a cigarette from the deliverybelts II and I2 and cuts off the suction at the point where thecigarettes are delivered from the drum about ninety degrees from thefirst mentioned point'onto the delivery belt I6. It is noted that thedelivery belt I6 runs in grooves I6a in the suction drum so that thebelts do not interfere with the action of the grooves I5 and yetunderlie the cigarettes so as to produce a gradual but positiveseparation thereof at the delivery position. These belts being spaced,permit shorts and cigarette pieces to drop out between the cigarettesand thus act as an automatic inspection device for such defectivecigarettes.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a modified form of the invention is shown forthe purpose of delivering aligned cigarettes in two rows with thecigarettes arranged side by side. The construction of this form issubstantially the same as that shown in Figs. l to 4 except that -thedrum 53 is made somewhat more than twice as long and is provided withtwo circumferential sets of grooves- I3a and ports I5. The pusher 54extendsv alongside both sets of grooves and is timed to operate vonceevery second cycle of the cigarette machine to push two cigarettes at atime into contact with the two sets of suction grooves which aredelivered by two sets of side delivery belts 56 in rows. The drum 53 iscarried by the shaft 51, which also carries the valve stem 55. In thisform, the drum 53 is rotated at a speed such that aligned grooves -I3aarrive in cigarette receiving position once Afor thev delivery of corktipped cigarettes and for use with very high speed cigarettes machineswhere one girl cannot take care of the delivery int one row.

It is noted that by reason of the suction principle employed in thepresent device, a machine has been provided which is gentle in itsaction on the cigarettes by reason of the fact that any sudden haltingof the cigarettes against a stop engaging the ends is eliminated. It isnoted that the present collector has no deep pockets or partitionsextending between successive cigarettes and so that there is nolikelihood of cigarettes when fed opened up or out of time with thecigarette machine becoming caught or mangled between partition walls orscattered windmill fashion by said walls and that the structure issubstantially self-clearing since it has no parts on which cigarettes orshorts may be caught. Another advantage over the present constructionasV compared with one with partition walls is Ythat it may be ofrelatively small diameter as compared with the pocket wall constructionin which the walls must be made far enough apart to secure completeentry of the cigarette between said walls. While the present inventionhas been described in connection with a drum type collector, it shouldbe understood that the invention is applicable to other types ofcollectors. 'I'he parts above described may be widely varied inconstruction, within the scope of the claims, for the particular deviceselected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possibleconcrete embodiments of the same. 'I'he invention therefore is not to berestricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is: f

1. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of suction mechanism operative in fixedlocation alongside saiddevice for retardmg and removing the forwarded cigarettes, said deviceincluding means for giving the forwarded cigarettes a sidewise movementduring their forward movement to move them into contact with saidmechanism.

2. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of suction mechanism operative in xed location alongside saiddevice for retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes, said deviceincluding a cigarette supporting belt running alongside said .mechanism,and means operating over said belt for giving the forwarded cigarettes asidewise movement during their forward movement to move them intocontact with said mechanism.

3. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechanism operative in xed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a moving member having a series of longitudinalgrooves, and means for establishing suction in said grooves to hold thecigarettes therein.

4. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechanism operative in ilxed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a moving member having a series of longitudinalgrooves, means for establishing suction in said lgrooves to hold thecigarettes therein, and

means for cutting oif the suction to release the cigarettes.

5. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine,- of mechanism operative in xed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a moving member having a series of longitudinalgrooves, `means 4for establishing suction in said grooves to hold thecigarettes therein, and means for removing the cigarettes from saidgrooves.

6. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a'cigarettemachine, of mechanism operative in xed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a moving member having a series of longitudinalgrooves,'means for establishing suction in said grooves to hold thecigarettes therein, means for cutting off the suction to release thecigarettes, and means for removing the released cigarettes from saidgrooves.

7. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechanism operativein iixed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a rotating drum having a series of longitudinalgrooves at its periphery, and means for establishing suction in saidgrooves to hold the cigarettes therein.

8. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechtherein, and means for cutting off the suction toreleasey the cigarettes.

9. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechanism operative in iixed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanismincluding a rotating drum having a series of longitudinalgrooves at its periphery, means for establishing suction in saidgrooves, means for cutting oi the suction to release the cigarettes, andmeans for removing the released cigarettes from said grooves.

10. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechanism operative in xed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a rotating drum having a series of longitudinalgrooves at its periphery, each groove being warding device of acigarette machine,

in open communication with the interior of `said drum through aperturesin the drum wall, and means for establishing suction in the drum and-grooves to hold the cigarettes in said grooves.

11. The combination with the cigarette forof mechanism operative iniixed location alongside said device for retarding and removing theforvwarded cigarettes by suction, said mechanism means within said drumfor cutting of! the suction to release the cigarettes.

12. The combination with the cigarette forwarding device of a cigarettemachine, of mechanism operative in fixed location alongside said devicefor retarding and removing the forwarded cigarettes by suction, saidmechanism including a rotating drum having a series of longitudinalgrooves at its periphery, each groove being in open communication withthe interior of said drum through apertures in the drum Wall, means forestablishing suction in the drum and grooves to hold the cigarettes insaid grooves, and a stationary valve within said drum for cutting oi thesuction to release the cigarettes.

13. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including a memberhaving transversely moving suction areas for retarding and removing thecigarettes from said device.

14. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including arotating drum having transversely moving suction areas for retarding andremoving the cigarettes from said device.

15. In a cigarette making machine the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including a memberhaving transversely moving suction areas for retarding and removing thecigarettes from said device, and mechanism for. cutting oiI the suctionto release the removed cigarettes.

16. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including arotating drum having transversely. moving suction areas for retardingand removing the cigarettes from said device,rand

mechanism within said drum for cutting off the suction to release theremoved cigarettes.

17. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including arotating drum having transversely moving grooves provided with suctionareas for retarding and removing the cigarettes from said device.

18. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including arotating drum having transversely moving grooves provided with suctionareas for retarding and removing the cigarettes from said device,andmechanism within Ksaid drum for cutting of! the suction to releasethe removed cigarettes.

19. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including' a memberhaving transversely moving suction areas for retarding and removing thecigarettes from said device, and collecting means receiving thecigarettes from said member.

20. In a cigarette making machine, the combination with a device forspacing endwise moving cigarettes longitudinally, of means coactingtherewith for collecting the cigarettes side by side including a memberhaving transversely moving suction areas ior retarding and removing thecigarettes from said device, and collecting means including belts`associated with and receiving the cigarettes from said member.

21. The combination with means i'or accelerating cigarettes deliveredfrom a cigarette machine cutoi! in end-to-end relation and therebyseparating them lengthwise, o! means for displacing the separatedlcigarette sidewise, and

mechanism for suctionally retarding their endwise movement.

22. In a cigarette collector, the combination with devices delivering aline of endwise moving cigarettes. of means having suction portsextending alongside said line in close proximity to retard thelongitudinal movement of said cigarettes, and means including acigarette engaging element having movement toward, along and away fromsaid line for pushing the cigarettes sidewise into contact with saidmeans, and a source of suction connected to the ports oi' said means.

23.1 In a cigarette collector for collecting cigarettes from asuccession of endwise moving cigarettes, the combination with a deliverybelt movable in a direction transverse to the endwise movement of thecigarettes, a moving cigarette carrier having cigarette receivingportions for receiving a cigarette from said succession and delivering acigarette onto said delivery belt, suction openings communicating withsaid receiving portions and suction conduits connecting to said openingsfor producing suction at the openings to hold the cigarettes on saidcarrier against rotation or loss of rotational position to delivercigarettes with the seams thereof facing the same way relative to eachother as received and means for delivering the cigarettes of saidsuccession into the range of action of the suction at said openings.

24. In a cigarette collector, the combination with means for deliveringa succession of cigarettes endwise in a line, of a cigarette conveyingdrum for receiving cigarettes from said succession and displacing themsidewise, and means coacting with said drum and the cigarettes thereonto prevent the rotation of round cigarettes relative to the during theperiod sai -cigarettes are carried by the drum.

25, In Va cigarette collector, the combination including a rotatingcigarettecarrier for receiving round cigarettes from said succession,displacing them sidewise from said line and delivering them onto saidsupporting means, and means coacting with said carrier and the roundcigarettes thereon to prevent round cigarettes from rotating relative tothe carrier, said carrier and supporting means being so arranged thatthe carrier delivers the cigarettes onto said supporting means withsuccessive cigarettes in the same rotational position relative to eachother as when received by said carrier.

26. In a cigarette collector, the combination with means for deliveringa succession o! cigarettes endwise in a line, transversely travellingendless conveyor means i'or receiving a supply of said cigarettes, amoving cigarette carrier interposed between said succession and saidendless conveyorarranged to deliver cigarettes onto said conveyor, meanscoacting with said carrier and the round cigarettes thereon to preventround cigarettes from rotating as long as the same are in contact withsaid carrier, said endless conveyor being arranged with a horizontalsupporting surface thereof in contacting relation with the cigarettes asthey are delivered from said carrier tok avoid rotation thereof as thesame are delivered.

27. In a cigarette collector, the combination with means for deliveringa succession of cigarettes endwise in a line. transversely travellingendless conveyor means for receiving a supply of said cigarettes, amoving cigarette carrier inberposed between said succession and saidendless conveyor arranged to deliver cigarettes onto said conveyor,means coacting with said carrier and the round cigarettes thereon toprevent round cigarettes from rotating as long as the same are incontact with said carrier, said endless conveyor being arranged with'ahorizontal supporting surface thereof in contacting relation with thecigarettes as they are delivered from said carrier to avoid rotationthereof as the same are delivered, said carrier being peripherallygrooved, and said conveyor means entering said` grooved portion of theconveyor.

28. In a cigarette collector for acting on a. succession of endwisemoving cigarettes, the combination with a cigarette receiving supportmoving transversely of the direction of movement of said succession, ofa rotary carrier rotatable about its own axis and having a plurality ofcigarette receiving portions arranged to deliver cigarettes onto saidsupport, suction ports communieating with said portions to hold acigarette thereon, and means for forwarding the cigarettes of saidsuccession into the range of action of said suction ports.

GEORGE W. GWINN. n

